CHASING LOVE

Chapter#28

Zahra sighed picking up another dress and hung it inside the closet.

She had been busy unpacking her stuff and was tired already from the day events.

Her mind was all foggy. She was in that state where she wanted her mind to go completely numb or silent.

She didn't even know what was going on inside anymore.

"Can I sit here?" She startled peaking back from her shoulder to the man standing on the threshold with his laptop secured to his chest.

She shrugged and he smiled slipping on the floor, typing off.

"I was feeling so lonely in there," he muttered but she was in her own trance.

His fingers stopped as he stared at her. She was picking up a dress from the open suitcase and hanging it, her eyes lost somewhere.

She was wearing a dark green plain dress, a contrast with her fair skin,  her hair pulled up in a messy bun. The tendrils covering the sides of her face.

He leaned his head back and stared at his wife. He didn't know what happened by the course of time that she was behaving like that.

She was all fine when he had seen her off in her mother's house but she had been lost since they came back from the airport.

Ammar stood up walking to her, who was pushing the hangers to one side making space for others.

The only thing she couldn't make space for was him.

He stood just behind her ready to call her when his eyes darted to the back of her neck.

His whole mind fixed on the scar peeking out from under her shirt.

As if suddenly waking up she tilted her body only to take a step back seeing him standing too close. A gasp left her mouth as she closed her eyes. Her heart jumped in her chest.

Why didn't she feel him walking up to her?

"You need anything?" She asked swallowing and his eyes were fixed over her face. She didn't look his way.

"I want to know what is going on in your mind," he demanded not moving his gaze away from her face.

Her eyes held uncertainty. Like she wasn't sure of something.

And then she chuckled. The bitterness of her voice made him almost flinch.

"My mind is a dark place, trust me you don't want to be there," the pain behind her those blue pools made him reach out to hold her but she was already gone.

He exhaled a frustrated sigh.

"How do I tell you that I want to know every fucking thing about you," He gritted his teeth before picking up his laptop and walked into the room.

She was by the window, clutching the curtains and talking to someone on phone.

He glanced at her once and left the room

"Mama, I will call you later," Zahra ended the call and looked at the closed door with tears in her eyes.

"How do I tell you that I can't be dishonest with you when you are trying every single thing in your hand to make this relationship work. How do I tell you I need time? And that too alone," she whispered dropping her body on the couch and pushed her head in her palms.

Everything was falling apart. She was a failure. She knew he didn't deserve her. He deserved someone pure and untouched, unlike her.

She cried praying from Allah to guide her. Praying to not let her lose hope and courage. She wanted to make things right, Allah knew she did but she was clueless.